Red and NIR Light Therapy for the Brain. 14 Powerful Ways to Form New Synapses in the Brain — Optimal Living Dynamics. Over the years, I’ve taken several psychiatric drugs, drank too much alcohol, and had numerous concussions – sometimes, all at once.
In other words, my brain has taken quite the beating. Researchers used to think that if you damaged your brain like I did, you simply had to live with it. But that’s no longer true. 29 Ways to Increase Neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is the creation of new neurons in the brain.
It can improve memory and reduce anxiety and depression. Read more to learn what strategies you can use to increase neurogenesis. What is Neurogenesis? Neurogenesis is the growth of new neurons, which was originally believed to be absent in the adult brain [1]. Then, in 1961 a study showed that neurogenesis occurs in the brains of adult mice. How to Optimize Your Brain for Better Cognitive Performance. Have you ever felt your brain function faltering after a particularly stressful week at work or wished you could supercharge your cognition so you could forge ahead on a major project? Maybe you’re interested in staving off so-called “normal” age-related cognitive decline.
27 Proven Ways to Promote the Regeneration of Myelin — Optimal Living Dynamics. Ketones are an alternative source of energy for your brain cells.
And several studies show that when you increase the production of ketones, you improve myelination and increase myelin production (3-6). So if you’re trying to rebuild myelin sheath, you should consider a cyclic ketogenic diet. I follow a ketogenic diet every so often. I also take Optimal Ketones. How to Protect Your Brain from Blue Light. It’s also well-established that blue light at night sends a signal to your body that it’s daytime, which increases the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and reduces the quality of your sleep.
It does this by significantly suppressing the production of melatonin, your body’s sleep hormone (27-34). 14 Powerful Ways to Form New Synapses in the Brain. 21 Proven Ways to Increase Brain Blood Flow. Research also shows that light stimulates brain blood flow and circulation.
Positron emission technology (PET) measures blood flow to specific areas of the brain. In one study, researchers used PET scans to monitor cerebral blood flow in patients with season affective disorder (SAD) – before and after light therapy. Before light therapy, the scans show that patients had reduced blood flow to the cerebral cortex, the “executive” part of the brain. But after just a few days of light therapy, this part of the brain started to light up, indicating greater activity and increased blood flow (9). How to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve for Better Mental Health — Optimal Living Dynamics. It connects your brain to many important organs throughout the body, including the gut (intestines, stomach), heart and lungs.
In fact, the word "vagus" means “wanderer” in Latin, which accurately represents how the nerve wanders all over the body and reaches various organs. The vagus nerve is also a key part of your parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system. It influences your breathing, digestive function and heart rate, all of which can have a huge impact on your mental health. But what you really need to pay special attention to is the "tone" of your vagus nerve. Vagal tone is an internal biological process that represents the activity of the vagus nerve. Increasing your vagal tone activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and having higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress. In 2010, researchers discovered a positive feedback loop between high vagal tone, positive emotions, and good physical health. 14 Powerful Ways to Form New Synapses in the Brain. 31 Powerful Ways to Induce Autophagy in the Brain — Optimal Living Dynamics.
Berberine is an alkaloid extracted from various plants.
It has anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and possibly antidepressant effects. It can also improve intestinal health and lower cholesterol. Researchers have also found that berberine reduces inflammation and protects the brain from damage by boosting autophagy in the brain (104-105). One study even found it reduces neurological deficits and promotes neurogenesis by stimulating autophagy (106).
I’ve experimented with varying dosages of this berberine. 28. Nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide or nicotinic acid amide, is the water-soluble, active form of Vitamin B3. How to Protect Your Brain from Alcohol & Never Be Hungover — Optimal Living Dynamics. Lastly, mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by mold that are capable of causing disease in humans.
Low amounts of mycotoxins are often found in wine and beer, and can make you feel sick if you’re sensitive to them. And some research shows that one type of mycotoxin, ochratoxin A, can cause brain damage (49, 50, 51, 52). After living in a moldy environment for over one year, I became extremely sensitive to seemingly healthy foods and drinks, such as coffee, tea and nuts. Eating low-quality versions of these foods give me asthma and make me feel mentally tired. I couldn’t figure it out why at first, but I’ve now confirmed that it’s the mycotoxins that are commonly found in cheap versions of these foods. Not everyone will be sensitive to them. That’s why I don’t recommend red wine, as it often contains them. If you decide to drink something other than straight liquor, I recommend you take activated charcoal along with each drink. 2.
Alcohol dehydrates your body. 3. Food Guide — Optimal Living Dynamics. These 10 Things Literally Increase the Size of Your Brain. Several breakthroughs in brain science over the last few years suggest humans actually have the power to increase brain size.
This can change your life in so many ways, from increasing memory to harnessing the power of your brain to create new neurons. Strike a pose. Yoga combines breathing, holding postures and meditation, a trifecta that not only protects the integrity of your brain, but thickens layers of your cerebral cortex, too. Brain scans now reveal that yoga changes your brain chemistry in positive ways. It helps build more robust levels of gray matter in brain areas involved with pain modulation. (1) Yoga’s neuroprotective properties not only spare the brain from gray matter loss, but they seem to build up gray matter volume in certain regions of the brain, too.
In 2015, researchers from McGill University and the National Institutes of Health found that consistency in your practice matters, too. 135+ Ways To Increase Verbal Fluency, Fluidity, and Recall (And What To Avoid) — MyBioHack. Verbal fluency is generally divided into two – category fluency (CF) and letter fluency (LF).
R Each assess language functions (vocabulary size, naming), speed of response, mental organization, search strategies and long-term memory. R Women perform better at verbal fluency tests than men. R Education is correlated with better verbal fluency. IQ is usually not. Chiropractic Boosts Brain Function. Chiropractic Improves Brain Function: The brain is the master control system for the entire body.
It sends and receives a complicated frequency of signals with the body that dictate the function of the body. When there is interference in this neurological feedback loop it alters the environment the brain perceives itself to be in which consequently changes the adaptation process the brain orchestrates throughout the body. Stress and Disease: Many experts have hypothesized that increased stress cycles in the body produce the environment for dis-ease and eventually disease within the body. When the body is under increased stress it responds by increasing its sympathetic tone. 25 Powerful Ways to Boost Your Endocannabinoid System — Optimal Living Dynamics. Regular caffeine consumption has been shown to enhance the activation of CB1 receptors by endocannabinoids (8).
CB1 receptors are also downregulated after “social defeat stress”, but caffeine counteracts this effect (9). I drink one cup of this coffee most mornings. Coffee and caffeine can disrupt sleep though, so make sure you don’t drink it later in the day. I have my last cup sometime between 10 in the morning and noon. If I have it any later than that, it disrupts my sleep. It's also a good idea to try to consume the whole coffee fruit, instead of just the coffee bean or pure caffeine. Traditionally, the coffee bean is extracted from the coffee fruit for roasting. 16 Powerful Ways to Effectively Lower Homocysteine — Optimal Living Dynamics. Good dietary sources of natural folate include leafy greens, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, avocado, beef liver and poultry.
These foods are included in my Free Grocery Shopping Guide for Optimal Brain Health. However, folate-rich foods may not be enough to lower homocysteine. In fact, many people do not get enough folate from food because cooking and food processing destroy natural folates (57). That’s why I recommend supplementation. Supplementing with 800 mcg of folate has been shown to lower homocysteine by at least 28%. If you decide to supplement with folate, avoid synthetic folic acid, which is commonly found in standard multivitamins. 5-MTHF is the most effective supplemental form of folate. Methylfolate supplements are almost seven times more effective than synthetic folic acid at increasing folate levels and lowering homocysteine levels. 5-MTHF is included in this B vitamin complex that I take regularly.
Ordinary B12 supplements don’t always cut it though. Bad Brain Habits—30 Things To Avoid For A Healthy Brain. Healthy habits that are usually associated with revving up weight loss are also ones that improve both physical and mental well-being. Boost Your Brain Health - Rush University Medical Center. 3 Simple Ways to To Enhance and Protect Brain Function – Real Food Forager. 6 Ways To Improve Brain Function. 22 Best & Worst Foods for Your Brain.